Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company 0-4-0T (1855)

Geelong and Melbourne Railway 0-4-0T
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Walker & Munro, Geelong Build date 1855 Total produced 1
Specifications Configuration: ​  •  Whyte 0-4-0 VBT Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Victorian broad gauge Fuel type Coke Fuel capacity 52 long cwt (2.6 t) [1]
Career Operators Geelong & Melbourne Railway Company, Victorian Railways Number in class 1 Numbers Ariel First run December 1855 Last run c. 1864 (8.7 years) Scrapped c. 1893 Disposition Sold

The Geelong & Melbourne Railway Company operated a total of 1 locomotive that fell under the Whyte notation of 0-4-0T, with a Vertical boiler, between 1855 and 1860. ^[2] Later it was operated by the Victorian Railways between 1860 and 1893. This was the second locomotive manufactured in Australia (Note, the first was MHBR's 2-2-2WT the year before). ^{[3] [4] [5]}

History

The Geelong & Melbourne Railway Company never numbered their locomotives, but instead gave them individual names, the 0-4-0VBT was named Ariel. ^[6] It was used as an inspection engine. It was sold to Victorian Railways on 3 September 1860, where it would carry no number and no class name, as was the standard for Victorian Railways until 1886. ^{[7] [8]} Converted to pumping engine c. 1864. It was noted as still in existence by the Engineer-in-Chief's correspondence 11 July 1892 and was proposed to be convert to a tram motor for the St Albans line. Noted as sold to John Danks & Co., a machinery and engineering supplies merchant of Melbourne, c. 1893. The Ballarat Historical Society wrote to the Railways Department 17 June 1897 asking on what terms they could have 'Ariel'.

References

• Cave, Norman; Buckland, John; Beardsell, David (2002). Steam Locomotives of the Victorian Railways. Vol. 1: The First Fifty Years. Melbourne, Vic: ARHS Victoria Division. pp. 9–11, 15, 94. ISBN   1876677384.

Specific

1. "THE VICTORIAN AND GEELONG RAILWAYS". Trove - Argus. 7 September 1860. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
2. "VICSIG - GMR locos". vicsig.net. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
3. "WILLIAMSTOWN". Trove - Williamstown Chronicle. 4 September 1909. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
4. "EARLY VICTORIAN LOCOMOTIVES". Trove - Argus. 7 September 1916. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
5. "LETTERS TO THE EDITOR". Trove - Geelong Advertiser. 17 June 1919. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
6. "VICSIG - Ariel". vicsig.net. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
7. "VICSIG - VR unclassed locos". vicsig.net. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
8. "VICSIG - VR Ariel". vicsig.net. Retrieved 7 May 2022.